THE STAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 10

THE STAGE

Tho late Alfred Lestor, tho English comedian who passed away in Madrid the other day, was born in 1874, both his parents being in the theatrical profession. Making his firfet stage appearance ae the immortal Little Willie in “East Lynne,” he subsequently toured the provinces of England for some years, playing sucli parts as Conn in “The Siiaugraun.” Later he went in for musical comedy, making a hit aB Peter Doody in “The Arcadians,” while, after a brief return to tho music halls, he figured in many revues. Now York’s Variety, the well-known theatrical paper, records tho fact that “a new business record for a musical play on Broadway wals established by ‘Rom Marie.’ Eleven performances were given, the gross receipts amounting to £10,500.” The Australian rights of “Rose Marie” have been secured by J. C. Williamson, Ltd.

Alfred Frith says that “being a comedian is the hardest work there is. “Some people,” ho added, “think that stage life is a mere joke. One man said to me: ‘lt would suit me—the theatre’s only open at night. All the rest of tho timo you have to yourself.’ This is an entirely erroneous idea. Besides, whether on© is feeling fit or ill, happy or depressed you have to go on and make other people inerry even if you feel ready to die. It I had my time over again I would go in for an easy job, such as felling trees, or breaking stones. Galli-Curci declares that she is “oldfashioned,” because she is not bobbed or shingled. “My hair is long,” ehe said, “and I do not smoke. I do not like to see women smoking. I do not take tea or coffee, and I am a teetotaler —you can’t sing if you drink hard drinks. I only have milk. It is very good.” Galli-Curci confessed that she had not heard Toti Dal Monte yet, “but fivo years ago I heard Melba. So wonderful, so beautiful.”

There was very nearly no appearance of the whirlwind duncers, Cunningham and Clements, in “Primrose” at His Majesty’s, Melbourne. At a rehearsal during tho week Miss Clements and Mr Cunningham were practising an intricate movement on the stage when Miss Clement’s belt gave way and she went into the air, so great was the impetus given by her partner. The dancer crashed against a piece of scenery and was so stunned that the rehearsal had to be abandoned. Another two feet and she would have hit tho iron mechanism of the counter-weight system, and probably would have received serious injury. “It was a close thing,” said Miss Clements. She ndded philosophically :

“However, a miss is as good as a mile, they say.” Present productions at the London threatres include several which are to be staged in Australia by J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Amongst these are: “The Pelican,” “Katja, the Dancer,” “The Street Singer,” “White Cargo,” “Spring Cleaning,” and “Primrose.” The last two have just been staged at Melbourne Theatre Royal and His Majesty’s respectively. On the other hand, there are several now running which have’ already been produced in Australia. Included amongst them aro revivals: “Iris,” “It Pays to Advertise,” “The Dollar Princess,” “Old Heidelberg,’ “Are You a Mason,” “Lightnin’” (staged in London by J. C. Williamson, Ltd.) The firm will shortly present Josie Collins at the Prince's Theatre, London, in Lehar’s new opera, “Frasquita.” “Hard work is the surest road to success. Set a mark for yourself and when you reach it, set another one still higher. Never be completely satisfied with yourself.” The advice is that of Galli-Curci. “There is no such thing as a ‘cold’ audience. An audience is what you make it. If you are really inspired, the audience will respond. It is all up to you. Some artists sing to the heart. Others sing to the brain. Both types have their audiences, but the size of the former’s audience, is always bigger than the latter’s. There is no sincerity in the so-called artistic temperament. Temperament ie like a little mad horse, good when Held in, but bait when it runs away. The real artist is a sensible person who does not concern himself with tho petty jealousies of the stage.” Mr John 11. Tait, one of the directors of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., left for London on April 21 by the Ormuz. Mr Charles A. Wenman, Associate. Direotor of the firm, sailed for London a fortnight later.

A novel act engaged in London by Sir Benjamin Fuller during his recent world’s tour is that of tho Six Vaudeville Veterans. They are a sextette of venerable stars, still in their prime, reviving songs and dances of long ago which they made famous in the heyday of their youth. They present a unique entertainment and one which will bring back memories of the old school of actors and actresses. Although the Veterans of Variety are time-honoured performers, their art has not been lost in the cobwebs of antiquity. Rather, they have matured with age and their virility stands comparison with the younger generation. The personnel of the organisation is as follows: —Jake Friedman, George Campbell, Florence Hinton, Lily Burnand, Arthur Slater and Charles Biggal. Mr Hugh J. Ward’s policy of encouraging local talent has reached a new and more expansive place than ever in “Little

Jessie James,” tho latest New York Music tl Comedy hit, that is drawing all Melbourne to the Princess Theatre. In that production the delightful chorus-ballot is given more opportunities for solo work, and e lready thoatre-goors are predicting particularly bright eaieors for several of the girls. # Amcng the new artists to join the Fuller circuit in Australia is Ben Beno, who is known as “The Mail on a Chair in the Air.” Beno does everything but hang by tho heir of his head, and it ho could find some way to do that, he would probably take Ihe risk. Jle leaps from tne stalls to a trapeze hung from the cross-girders. But tiere is more to come. A Kitchen chair is passed up, and poised at heartthumping angles, be and tlie chair sway to and fro to tho consternation of the women folk. Not content with that, lie blindfolds himself, swings for a time, and then, trusting to his sense of distance, and perhaps rate, turns a complete somersault and ends up by hanging head downwards holding the chair in bis hands. : Talking of old times, Sir Benjamin Fuller tel s of a strike called upon, him by an audience. “I think this is a pretty unique sort ol strike, and though I am not a revongefui man, I have ofton thought I should like to get even with that crowd. It was in a mining district, and the population was composed of very hard doers indeed. We had advertised a fight picture, and the miners thought the prices too high. They came to the hall all right, but could not be induced to ‘step up and pay up.’ A delegation put in to me with a wealth of adjectives that the price must be reduced before they would come in. I had no strike-breakers handy, so was forced to give in. I used to live in hopes of getting back to that town, collecting a big audience of miners billing a wonderful program, watching the mouths of the audience water lor a time, and then announcing that there would be no performance. I inay do it yet, if aeroplanes are improved.”

ACTOR AND PEER. LORD LYVEDEN MARRIES. LONDON, April 25. Lord Lyveden, who is an actor, has married Mrs Ada Springate, an actress. Lord Lyveden, who is 68 years old, in 1390 married Miss Fanny Hill, has been a purser in the Mercantile marine, and served throughout the war as Lieutenant-Com-mander of the R.N.V.R. He was. a nephew of tho second ilaron Vernon, and son of the Rev. Courtenay Vernon. He has been on tho stage for 42 years.

SEYMOUR HICKS'S BOOK. “IJQ THIS IS AUSTRALIA.”LONDON, April 25. “I could cry for joy to be back alter my toL.r of 53,000 nines,” said Mr Seymour Hicks, the actor, on his return to London. “My only fear is that people will say I’ve got fat. “I st all shortly publish a book on my experiences in Australia. I intend to produce two America plays, ‘The Guardsman,’ and ‘Mr Five O'Clock,’ and one Australian play.” k Mr Flicks is entitling his book “So This Is Australia.” The chief characters are a cockney valet and an Englishman. “I saw one aborigine, but no kangaroos or rabbits,” he says. “I discovered a remarkable contralto, Miss Vera Wright., whom Daune Nellie M.elba requested ine to hear sing. She is a most wonderful singer. Her range covers three octaves with the most remarkable lowest register ever heard in a contralto. She has never had any training. I am arranging for three years’ tuition in Paris, after which Miss Wright will probably amaze everyone.”

LILY PAYLING’S SUCCESS. CHALLENGE TO CRITICS. LONDON, April 25. Madame Lily Payling, formerly a Sydney singer, as a challenge to the expressed opinion of Sir Landon Ronald and other eminent professionals that concert promotion does not pay, has become her own manager and is organising eight concerts, to be given in the Albert and Queen’s Halls. Madame Payling contends that if a manager’s heart is in his work, and he gives the public wliat they want at reasonable prices ,success is certain. Every available seat was sold for her recent concert in the Albert Hall. GILBERT AND SULLIVAN. WHY THEY QUARRELLED. The quarrel of Gilbert and Sullivan emerged fnom one of tho smallest teacups that ever‘had a storm. Mr S. J. Adair Fitzgerc Id, in his “Story of the Sitvoy Opera,” quotes Mr Cunningham Bridgeman, who gives the following account of the incident:—-It appears that D’Oyly Carte, as duly authorised business manager of the firm, conceived it to be not only polite but right and proper to minister to the comfort of clients through whose oatronage and support their business had thrived so remarkably. Accordingly, Mr Carte purchased, among sundry other articles of furniture, a carpet. The carpet, etc., was in the usual course charged to the joint account. Sir Arthur on his part raised no objection to the outlay, and for the sake of peace did Ins utmost to persuade Mr Gilbert to take a similar view of the matter. But JVIr Gil" bert remained obdurate in his opposition to lavisi expenditure. He was of opinion that a new carpet, costing £l4O, would not draw an extra sixpence into the exchequer. . . Mr Gilbert . . was then reminded that by the terms of the partnership agreement he had no voice in the matter. Gilbert went to law and lost. Thus, adds Mr Fitzgerald, “was the great Savoy partnership of thirteen years’ standing, with its tenth successful production, dissolved into thin air over the cost of a miserable —one may say definitely a fatal —carpet, for, though the breach was mended, it was never healed.”

“ON WITH THE DANCE I”COCHRAN REDIVIVUS. LONDON, May 1. Mr C B. Cochran has scored a brilliant success with tho revue “On With the Dance” at. the London Pavilion. Delysia, the French revue star, made a triumphant return to tho stage after an absence of five years.

“FRASQUITA” SCORES. OSCAR ASCHE AS PRODUCER. LONDON, April 25. Tho gipsy play “Fraspita,” in which J. C. Will amson, Ltd., is interested, has proved a pronounced success at the Prince's Theatre.

The music is exhilarating and Miss Jose Collins scores her biggest Buccess since her appearance in “The Maid of Mountains.” Mr Oscar Asche is tho producer.